The DJ confessed that after years of getting up with the larks for the show's 6.30am start time, he's in need of some serious naps.

"Come September it will be six years... I've decided it's time for a change, time for a new show and, most importantly, it's going to be time for a new wake-up time... preferably about 11.30am," he told listeners when he announced the news on May 31.

Grimmy joked that he "ain't had a good night's sleep since God knows when" and that he has had "jet lag for six years".

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His programme shed 600,000 listeners in the first quarter of this year, pulling in 5.1 million listeners a week in the first three months of 2018, compared with 5.7 million a week in the last quarter of 2017, according to audience research body Rajar.

Grimshaw, who took over the early morning radio programme in 2012 from Chris Moyles, said he's "really tired" and had the position for much longer than he first thought he would.

Grimshaw said in a statement: "I had the time of my life. I've decided it's time for a change and a new show.

“My alarm goes off at ten-to-five each morning and, since the announcement I was leaving, I am like ‘f***ing hell this is well early’,” he said with a grin.

“It’s been harder to wake up than ever. But it has been really fun, I’ve loved it and it’s been good for my brain and myself, just not great for my personal life.

“It does send you a bit mad and sort of becomes your life, because everything you are watching and consuming each day you are trying to produce content for the next morning, because you can’t do it before 5am.”